they don't have an election until november of 2014. they need to say look, you want to negotiate seriously, we'll sit down and talk. you don't want to negotiate seriously, the country will survive going off this cliff. it's largely a factor in terms of american history, the people will not look back on as a giant tragedy. we need to have serious effort to get this country reorganized and i see no sign that the political system today is at all prepared for that kind of serious thinking. >> but what is so serious about the thinking of a party that just is implacably opposed to raising income tax even for the richest 2%? because the american people don't give a stuff. in all the polls, two-thirds of them are yes, let's tax the wealthiest 2% and by the way, that's me and you, newt. i don't know about you, i'm quite happy to pay a little bit more if it helps the general good. are you? >> well, piers, i'm happy for you to pay it, too. if you want to write a check this evening, the treasury will accept it. i'm delighted with your sense of cit